NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Goran Dragic's Market, Ricky Rubio
It's never too early in the NBA season to think about potential trades. Even though the 2021-22 campaign is less than two weeks old, there's already been buzz about deals that could take place.
The trade deadline isn't until Feb. 10, either, so there's plenty of time for teams to hold negotiations and try to work out moves for players who may not be in their long-term plans. And eventually, there are sure to be trades that occur during the season that impact the landscape of the league.
Here's some of the latest trade buzz from around the NBA.
Dragic Could End Up Staying in Toronto for Foreseeable Future
Goran Dragic may not be in the Toronto Raptors' long-term plans, but he also may not be leaving them anytime in the near future. And that's because of how the trade market appears to be developing.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, "nothing has changed" in terms of the potential market for Dragic, which seemingly is lacking the interest Toronto is hoping for.
"The Raptors are surely still hopeful that a yet-to-materialize trade market does develop," Stein wrote. "Dragic is earning $19.4 million in the final year of his contract, which could require what was described to me as 'patient creativity.'"
Dragic is currently in his 14th NBA season, but it's his first with the Raptors. He spent the previous seven seasons with the Miami Heat, who traded him to Toronto in the deal that sent fellow point guard Kyle Lowry to Miami.
Through four games, Dragic is averaging 6.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest. But there's plenty of time for him to heat up and get back to producing the types of numbers he had in recent years. In 2020-21, he averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists in 50 games for the Heat.
If Dragic eventually draws trade interest, it could make sense for Toronto to move him. The Raptors are off to a 3-3 start, but they're unlikely to remain a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
But for now, Dragic will continue to serve in a bench role for Toronto.
Rubio was 'Not Thrilled' About Getting Traded to Cleveland
Throughout his 11-year NBA career, Ricky Rubio has played for four different teams. He's also been on a new team each of the past four seasons.
After playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2020-21 season (his second stint with the team), Rubio was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August. That marked the third time he was dealt in less than a year, as he arrived in Minnesota in a trade last November from the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had acquired him only four days earlier in a deal with the Phoenix Suns.
Rubio continues to bounce around, and it sounds like he wasn't too pleased with his most recent move. ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently shared on his Hoop Collective podcast that Rubio was "not thrilled" when he got traded to the Cavs.
"It took some convincing to get Rubio sold on that this was the best place for him," Windhorst said on the podcast (h/t RealGM).
The 31-year-old Rubio could be a valuable mentor to Cleveland's younger guards, and he's also been playing well during the team's 3-3 start. He's averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds in six games.
If Rubio continues to have success and the Cavaliers outperform preseason projections, perhaps this move will end up working out well for both sides, even if Rubio may not have been a fan of it at first.
